The women's 100m final will headline the first day of competition. at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics as part of the organizers’ plans to “open with a bang.”
The surprise decision, which will see all three events of the 100m race take place on the same day, was welcomed by US sprint star Sha'Carrie Richardson, who said it showed “athletics is having its moment”.
Britain's Dina Asher-Smith also backed the move to the Games, which will take place from July 15 to 30. “This is such an exciting opportunity to celebrate the enduring legacy, strength and global power of women's sprinting exactly 100 years after women first competed in Olympic athletics,” she added.
Sprinters usually run a maximum of two times a day, but the World Athletics said they had consulted widely with athletes to ensure they agreed with the decision.
“This was supposed to be a standout event on the first night of competition at the historic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum – when we presented it to the athletes in this way, it created excitement,” said Janet Evans, chief athlete of the Games.
“Most athletes have told me, ‘Just let me know. Let me know in advance and I will start training to run three hundred in one day.”
World Athletics said it had deliberately set the schedule to allow as many athletes as possible to “double up” not only in distances such as the 100 and 200 metres, but also in the 800 and 1500 metres, and in the 1500 and 5000 metres. It said there would be 10 days of competition at the Los Angeles Coliseum, with the 100-meter medley relay making its debut, and three days of road competition at the end of the Games.
“We are off to a flying start with an athletics program that will start with a bang as our women's sprinters take center stage on day one,” World Athletics president Seb Coe said. “This schedule is both innovative and respectful of tradition, with a men's marathon on the final day of competition.”
However, the schedule makes it unlikely that American sprinter Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone will be able to run both the 400m and 400m hurdles, given that the 400m hurdles semi-finals and the 400m final will take place on the same day.
Swimming traditionally opens the summer games. But since the opening ceremony is being held at the Sophie Stadium, where the opening ceremony will take place, it will begin in the second week.
Organizers have also confirmed that the first day will feature the largest number of women's finals in one day in the history of the Games, with the women's triathlon gold medal among the contenders. They have also planned Super Saturday for the penultimate day, which will feature 26 gold medals in 23 sports.
Shana Ferguson, LA28's head of sports and games, said it plans to sell about 14 million tickets across 51 Olympic sports across 49 venues, with public sales expected to begin in April 2026. Ferguson also confirmed that organizers will not use the controversial dynamic pricing model, which caused outrage among Oasis fans in the summer and was trialled by FIFA at the FIFA Club World Cup in the United States.
